I Am Stepher

October 18, 2010

Beauty MUST HAVE

Filed under: Products that work, Quality Over Quantity, Stephermendations — iamstepher @ 9:55 pm

It’s been a few days since I received my bag of goodies from Barneys and I already have a new favorite. I will be the first to admit that I am a total sucker for a new face cream. I took a picture of the bottles next to my sink this morning and I am almost embarrassed to show it. These are the face/eye creams that I use on a daily basis. In the interest of total disclosure, three of the items are for my hair.

Back Camera

I was using straight olive oil on my face for about a month and I loved it. I thought my skin looked great and felt super smooth. The only issue was that it required me to dust a little powder on my face before I left the house. For most people this wouldn’t be an issue, but I hate to wear any makeup on my skin. I don’t mind eye makeup, but anywhere else on my face just feels weird. Another issue was that the olive oil smelled like, well, olive oil. I could live with all of that, especially because a $5 bottle would last me at least a year, but after it spilled all over my suitcase while we were in Europe, I was totally over it.

Sunday Riley’s skin care line is my new obsession (in addition to sweater clips). I have been using the Juno oil for about a week and my skin feels awesome. I just ordered a full size bottle and I also ordered the Good Genes cream. I have read a little bit about it and it sounds pretty great.


Good Genes
Purpose

Everyone wants the unmistakable look of having “good genes”. This amazing treatment is formulated with key ingredients which will plump fine lines, reveal brighter, newer skin, and improve circulation, offering a smooth, vibrant complexion. Long term use will restore damaged skin, reduce hyperpigmentation and acne scars, reduce the depth and number of lines and wrinkles, even out skin tone, & increase epidermal firmness and thickness.

Unique Properties
Great to use 5 days in a row as an intensive radiance treatment or anytime you want to impress. Can be applied daily for reviving skin which is damaged by excessive UV exposure, aging, acne scars, pollution, lifestyle.

Purpose

A rare, dry oil absolute that gives skin an obsession-worthy glow. A patent-pending blend of lightweight, fast absorbing oils extremely high in natural retinol, Vitamin C, Essential Amino Acids, Omega-3, 6, & 9, UV shields, and natural Anti-Inflammatory agents for luminous skin. Anti-Aging, anti-oxidant.
Juno Transformative Lipid Syrum
Unique Properties
A dry oil blend: hydrates and vanishes, leaving skin velvety and smooth.

Go to sundayriley.com for more info. You can also order from Barneys.

October 14, 2010

Barneys Beauty Bag Event

Filed under: Products that work, Quality Over Quantity, Stephermendations — iamstepher @ 8:37 pm

OMG! Finally my Barneys beauty bag arrived in the mail!! Every September Barneys New York has their Beauty Bag Event. This is the very best GWP (gift with purchase) available. I found out about it 4 years ago and I have been participating ever since. You have to spend $175 to get the gift but I am telling you it is so so so so worth it. I usually wait until I need a new perfume or a bunch of makeup. You can find out which weekend in September it will be by doing a quick google search or by calling one of the stores a few months in advance.

There is not a Barneys in St. Louis so for the past few years I just call into one of the New York locations and ask to place my order over the phone. The sales associates work on commission and they are always more than happy to take your order. This year I had a slight problem – they forgot to put my order in the computer. I waited two weeks for my bag to come before calling to ask what was going on. They were super nice about it and sent me all of my stuff over night for no extra charge.

So what is in the bag? Tons of samples and full size products. I have included pictures below. One year there was a $500 Cle de peau face cream (full size!). This year there are full size lip sticks, eye shadows, nail polish, mascara and soap. There are also lots of half-size products like Sunday Riley’s Stem Cell Serum (when would I ever be able to try this?). If you can, I strongly suggest you participate next year.

This is the cute little bag that everything comes in. Every year it gets better.

August 24, 2010

A fantastic new hair product

Filed under: Products that work — iamstepher @ 8:00 pm

As you may know, I now have bangs.  In 1989, at the ripe old age of 5, I swore off bangs for good.  Or so I thought.  Last week, while in San Francisco, I was having a horrible day. 

In order to accommodate a customer I had to stay in San Fran an extra day.  After being away for 10 days, I was dying to get back to St. Louis but in order to seal the deal, I stayed.  45 minutes before our appointment, the lady canceled without apology.  She probably didn’t realize but she had just cost me valuable time and the company a lot of money. $300 for the extra night in the hotel, $60 for the extra day of the car and $190 for me to change my flight to the next day.  I was going to drown my sorrows in a nice San Francisco shopping spree when I noticed a cute little hair salon right in front of me.  I walked in and asked if they had time for me..they did.

I told the woman I was having a horrible day and told her to do whatever she wanted to my hair.  I was ready for a change!  Two hours later, my hair was three inches shorter, two shades lighter and bangs.

I was really concerned about having bangs because mid-day my hair starts to get a little oily.  Thanks to this Dust it stuff, my hair looks fresh all day and it adds a ton of body.  It’s also great for freshening your hair before you go out or if you don’t  have time to shower.  Kind of like dry shampoo, but without the white flakes.

$12 and worth every penny.

June 16, 2010

Back to blogging with iPad

Filed under: Products that work — iamstepher @ 4:03 am

Now that I have my iPad, I can finally get back to this blog. Stay tuned!

April 15, 2010

Reebok Easy Tone vs. MBT

Filed under: Products that work, Stephermendations — iamstepher @ 10:45 pm

After trying on MBT’s 3 different times over a 12 month period I finally broke down and bought a pair in May, 2009.  I was going to be in China/Japan for 2 weeks and knew that I would be walking between 6 and 10 hours everyday “temple hopping”.  Unlike most, my main motivation to purchase MBT’s was not for weight loss or toning.  In addition to those benefits, the most important to me was the relief the shape of the shoe gives to the back and joints.  I know, I know- why am I so concerned with this at my age.  Well, I have a family history of bad knees and lets just say, the apple did not fall far from the tree. 

So, why the hesitation?  Why not just buy the dumb shoes …right?  Wrong!  The shoes I wanted were $244.95 and I felt like that was a little too much for a shoe I was taking a gamble on.  After realizing that my running shoes were not going to cut it in China, I gave in and bought the shoes.  I wore them around for a week to make sure I could walk in them.  I felt a little off-balance but quickly got used to them.  After feeling comfortable for a few days I decided to try them out while running.  Note: please be carefull if you try to run in these.  The combination of weight and height do not mix well.  About the weight (14 oz.) and height (2 inches) of the MBT’s- this created even more of a problem because despite my small 6 1/2 shoe size, these shoes are gigantic and kind of heavy.  This mattered not because of wearing them, but fitting them in my suitcase.  My goal was to pack 15 days worth of clothes and shoes into one carry on bag.  In the end, I was able to do it but it meant wearing the MBT’s on the plane.  Boy oh boy was that a bad idea.  I feel the need to include this because I think MBT and I got off to a bad start.  If I would have been wearing the softest most comfortable fuzzy slippers on the plane I probably would have cursed them after that 13 hour flight. 

From then on I dreaded wearing the shoes.  They were comfortable and my knees felt great the entire trip but they were very wobbly.  Imagine walking up those tiny ancient steps in shoes that are purposely made the throw you off-balance.  Needless to say, or maybe not, I havent worn the MBT’s since China (almost one year ago). 

Now to present day.  I was in Indianapolis for work and after eating a gigantic peanut butter burger decided it was time to look at some new running shoes.  This is when I noticed the Reebok Easy Tones.  If I wouldn’t have seen another person trying them on I wouldn’t have even noticed that the bottom of the shoe was different from any other shoe.  From the top and side they look like any other cute running sneaker.  I decided to try them on and didn’t want to take them off.  I bought them immediately, despite the $119 price tag and have been wearing them for the past two weeks.  I wear them to run, walk the dog, meet up with friends, whatever.  They are fabulous and worth every penny!  Now this business about toning your legs, who knows, but they are super comfortable.

Reebok wins… Sorry MBT’s.  I had so much hope for the two three of us.

February 18, 2010

LIPSTICK QUEEN

Filed under: Products that work, Stephermendations — iamstepher @ 4:55 am

Ok, I know I said this blog was going to be about food but maybe it will be about more than that. This is my new favorite find.

About the company: Lipstickqueen.com
Its featured on gilt.com this week for half off. Mystery is my favorite!

“If an eighteen-year-old girl’s search for the ideal matte lipstick can turn into a multimillion-dollar company, anything is possible. When Poppy King finished high school, all she had to show for herself were some lackluster grades and a hundred and one ways to get out of phys ed. Within three years, however, she became the president of her highly successful lipstick brand, Poppy Industries.”

Blog at WordPress.com.